A nurse is assessing the level of consciousness of a patient who has sustained a head injury in a motor vehicle accident. The nurse notes that the patient appears drowsy but the nurse is able to wake the patient by gently shaking and calling the patient by name. What level of consciousness would the nurse document?
Comatose
Stuporous
Lethargic
Awake and Alert
The Correct Answer is C
A. Comatose:
A comatose state is characterized by an unarousable and unresponsive condition. Individuals in a coma do not respond to external stimuli, including shaking or calling their name.
B. Stuporous:
Stupor is a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility. A stuporous patient may require more intense stimulation to achieve a response than someone who is lethargic.
C. Lethargic:
Lethargy is a state of drowsiness or fatigue. Lethargic patients may appear drowsy but can be awakened by gentle stimulation, such as shaking and calling their name.
D. Awake and Alert:
An awake and alert state implies full responsiveness, awareness, and orientation to the environment. The patient in the scenario does not fit this description.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. 20 bpm: This is twice the calculated rate, so it's significantly higher than observed.
B. 10 bpm: This matches closely with the calculated rate of approximately 10.23 breaths per minute.
The scenario describes the nurse counting the client's breaths starting from when the second hand of the clock was at 12 and ending just past 5, and the client completed 9 breaths during this time frame.
Counting Period:
From just past 12 to just past 5 on the clock, the time span is approximately 53 seconds.
Number of Breaths:
The client completed 9 breaths within this time frame.
Now, to calculate the respiratory rate:
Respiratory rate = (Number of breaths / Time in minutes)
Respiratory rate = (9 breaths / 0.88 minutes) (53 seconds converted to minutes)
After calculation, the respiratory rate is approximately 10.23 breaths per minute.
C. 09 bpm: This is a lower value than observed and doesn't align with the counted breaths.
D. 18 bpm: This is close to double the observed rate, which doesn't match with the counted breaths within the time frame.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Placing the nurse's feet close together side by side to have a good center of gravity:
While maintaining a good center of gravity is important, in a falling situation, it's crucial to prioritize the client's safety over the nurse's stability. This option doesn’t address the prevention of the client’s fall.
B. Rocking the nurse's pelvis out and trying to hold the patient up to prevent falling:
Attempting to hold the patient up during a fall may put both the nurse and the client at risk of injury.
C. Grasping the gait belt and pushing the client’s body backward away from the nurse's body:
Pushing the client backward could cause the client to lose balance and fall in an uncontrolled manner.
D. Using the patient's gait belt to gently slide the client down the nurse's body to the floor:
This is the recommended action as it allows for a controlled descent to the floor, minimizing the impact of the fall and reducing the risk of injury to both the client and the nurse.
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